The German government is preparing billions of euros of new investments into the nation's semiconductor industry, two months after Intel Corp. shelved plans to build a EUR30 billion (approx. US$32 billion) chip factory in Magdeburg.

China's DRAM spot prices have faced continued declines throughout November, with DDR4 particularly hard hit. In contrast, NAND flash prices have shown signs of stabilizing. Following 2-3 quarters of inventory adjustments, stock pressure has eased significantly. Manufacturers' tighter supply controls are expected to gradually restore restocking demand.

Samsung Electronics is undergoing a personnel reform in response to the crisis within its semiconductor business. Notably, the head of Device Solutions (DS), Young-Hyun Jun, will also manage the memory division and a new CTO position for foundry services has been introduced.

Amid challenges, Samsung has decided to scale back investments in its foundry business, prioritizing existing production lines to reduce losses and refocusing efforts on regaining competitiveness in memory technologies. However, with its foundry lagging in technical competitiveness and large-scale investments difficult to recoup, Donald Trump's re-election and speculations regarding spinning off Samsung's foundry unit or collaborating with Intel have further heightened interest in Samsung's future direction.

Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) announced on November 28 the launch of its Tongluo facility in Miaoli, central Taiwan, equipped with advanced interposer production and 3D wafer stacking capabilities. This new fab, with a monthly capacity of 40,000 12-inch wafers, positions PSMC to deliver high-margin 3D AI foundry services, enabling global clients to capitalize on the accelerating growth of the AI sector.

As inventory stockpiling of midrange and entry-level smartphone panels increases, the demand outlook for LCD TDDI chips shows promise, according to industry sources.

IC distributor Zenitron has broadened its AI product portfolio while deepening its presence in China's automotive industry.

Memory module maker TeamGroup anticipates heightened demand for high-end memory products in the first quarter of 2025, with low-end memory demand expected to follow suit in the second quarter.

India's Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) has launched the ChipIN Centre as a central hub for semiconductor design, providing comprehensive tools and resources to support the country's chip design community.

SK Hynix has reportedly begun mass production of its 321-layer 1Tb TLC 3D NAND Flash products, posing a potential threat to Samsung Electronics' (Samsung) leading position. This development is drawing significant attention from the market.

Taiwan-based pure-play foundry PSMC is building a 12-inch wafer fab for Tata Electronics in India, and Lam Research, eyeing growing Indian opportunities, plans to set up an office at the fab.